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Redden on the Raiders: Scott sets new mark for shutouts

Nov 16, 2018 | 9:10 AM

Back to work we go.

After an odd stretch of schedule with just one game per week for the last three weeks, the Raiders are back into it now with no less than three games per week until the Christmas break begins on Dec 15.

With a six-point cushion on first place across the league and holding the number one spot in Canada for the fifth straight week, the team is obviously in a great position, but it’s a tough road ahead.

The weekend

Tri-City and Brandon have a combined record of 21-10-3-3 and will both be determined to show how they measure up against the Raiders.

The Americans have had a bizarre road trip so far, picking up wins in and Brandon and Swift Current, but losing to Regina 5-1 and Moose Jaw 7-0. Tri-City is 8-2 in their last 10 games, but those two losses by a combined 15-2 margin stand out. We’ll find out Friday night which Americans team shows up.

As for the Wheat Kings, they were red hot out of the gate as they built up a 6-1-2-1 record through the first 10 games. From there, they cooled off on the road finishing a seven-game swing out to the BC Division with a record of 2-3-1-1. The friendly confines of Westoba Place have helped their fortunes lately as the Wheaties have three of a possible four points in two games since returning home and will be looking to keep rolling on their current six-game home stand.

Altogether, the Wheat Kings are 5-1-1-2 at home and 4-3-2-1 on the road so far.

The prospects

Brett Leason and Aliaksei Protas made their debuts on the NHL Central Scouting Players to Watch list for November.

Neither player was included in the preliminary list in September, and have now been given a C grade, implying a potential selection between the fourth and sixth rounds of the upcoming NHL draft.

Obviously Leason has burst on the scene with his torrid start, registering at least a point in all 19 games so far, but I see Protas as another rising star that will continue to gain attention as the year goes on. I think his adjustment to not only playing in the WHL but also life in Canada is an ongoing process, and he’ll just get better and better as the season wears on.

Regardless, it’s some well-earned recognition for the two Raider forwards.

The official

During Wednesday night’s postgame show on CKBI, Kody McDonald shared with us that he’s been officiating some men’s league games around town in his spare time and seems to be enjoying it.

As a (very average) men’s league player myself, I got a kick out of his comment that “Some of those guys take it more seriously than we take our own games.” There’s always one or two.

With 19 penalty minutes through 11 games played, he’s a familiar sight to the referees in the WHL, and now he’s getting a feel for how it works on the other side and I’m sure he’s gaining at least a little bit of empathy for the guys in the stripes.

Setting aside his blossoming officiating career, he’s been great over the last two games since returning from injury. Alongside Noah Gregor and Justin Nachbaur, McDonald has a goal and a pair of assists.

Shutouts

With 43 saves against the Tigers Wednesday night, Ian Scott picked up his third shutout of the year in just his 16th appearance. Coming into the season, Scott had three career shutouts in 126 games, but obviously has never played behind a team like the one lining up in front of him this year. As a rookie, he blanked the Kootenay ICE in his fourth career start turning aside all 33 shots faced for his lone shutout of the year. The next season, Scott kept a clean sheet twice, both against the ICE. With three shutouts this year, the Maple Leafs prospect has set a new single-season high just 16 games in.

It’s clearly been another level from the fourth-year netminder as he looks calm and focused on a nightly basis. When the Tigers were able to generate chances on Wednesday, Scott anticipated the play and squared up to the shooter. There wasn’t much for acrobatic sprawling saves because he never found himself out of position and needing to scramble.

There was even a crack at the open net late in the game for Scott, but unfortunately the jumbotron hangs a little low in the Art Hauser Centre and got in the way.

There’s also been more World Junior chatter around Scott and Leason this week as camp invites draw nearer. It’s been five years since an active member of the Raiders made Team Canada, that was Josh Morrissey back in 2013-14, so it would be great to see Prince Albert represented once again.

 

trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Trevor_Redden